Aides Minimize Reagan’s ‘Star Wars’ Remarks

White House officials sought Monday to clarify President Reagan’s remarks, in an interview with Soviet journalists, that he would not deploy the space-based defensive system known as “Star Wars” until the United States and the Soviet Union eliminated their offensive nuclear weapons.

“I have said, and am prepared to say at the summit, that if such a weapon is possible--and our research reveals that--then our move would be to say to all the world, ‘Here, it is available.’ We won’t put this weapon--or this system--in place . . . until we do away with our nuclear missiles, our offensive missiles.”

On its face, Reagan’s statement appeared to give the Soviets an opportunity to block the deployment of “Star Wars” simply by refusing to dismantle their offensive weapons. And it would mean that Reagan had surrendered a bargaining chip in arms control negotiations, because the Soviets have long called “Star Wars” a major obstacle to an agreement.

Speakes’ Explanation

But at his regular midday briefing, White House spokesman Larry Speakes insisted that Reagan had not departed from his earlier position, which was merely to share “Star Wars” technology with the Soviets once such a system became feasible.

And Speakes maintained that the United States does not view the elimination of superpower arsenals as a condition for deploying the defensive system, which the Administration has begun calling “Star Shield” to stress its peaceful purposes.

“He is not pledging unilaterally not to deploy unless there’s agreement (to eliminate offensive nuclear weapons),” Speakes said. He added that officials envision “a transition period” when the United States would rely on a mixture of offensive and defensive weapons.

U.S. Edge Conceded

In his interview, Reagan acknowledged that “Star Wars,” coupled with offensive nuclear weapons, would give the United States an edge in the ability to deliver a first strike. But he said he is prepared to assure Soviet leader Mikhail S. Gorbachev when they meet Nov. 19-20 in Geneva that the United States will not “try and monopolize” any defensive advantage.

“It is not our purpose to go forward with deployment if and when such a weapon proved practical,” Reagan said.

“Star Wars,” envisioned as a space-based shield against incoming ballistic missiles, would remain valuable even after U.S and Soviet disarmament, Reagan said, because it would protect the world from the threat of “a madman with a bomb.”

Reagan’s remarks left arms control analysts reeling. Speculation focused on whether the President had ventured beyond his comprehension of a complex issue, or whether he had inadvertently tipped the U.S. hand in advance of the Geneva summit.

“It seems to give the Soviets a veto,” said Raymond Garthoff, a member of the team that negotiated the first Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty with the Soviets and is now a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution. “I find it hard to believe that is the considered opinion.”

Speakes tried to quiet the uproar by pointing out that any defensive space system is a long way from becoming a reality. “It’s clearly an area that is somewhere in the distant future,” he said. “There’s many variables and much distance out there.”

Garthoff also labeled as farfetched Reagan’s explanation that a space shield would protect the world from “a madman.”

Speakes acknowledged that the only madmen deterred by “Star Wars” would be those with intercontinental ballistic missiles. “Maybe by logical extension, the technology can be extended elsewhere,” he said.

As it is now explained, Reagan’s shield would be of no protection against an individual or a nation that delivered a nuclear weapon with a bomber, an Earth-hugging cruise missile or any other means short of a missile.

Times staff writer Norman Kempster contributed to this story.